IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 17^TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA CRIMINAL PETITION NO. 1485 OF 2026 (482(Cr.PC) / 528(BNSS)-)

BETWEEN:

AXIS BANK LTD., A BANKING COMPANY, CARRYING ON THE BANKING BUSINESS UNDER THE BANKING REGULATION ACT, 1949, INCORPORATED UNDER THE COMPANIES ACT, 1956 AND HAVING ITS REGISTERED OFFICE AT TRISHUL

3RD FLOOR, OPP. SAMARTHESHWAR TEMPLE.

LAW GARDEN, ELLIS BRIDGE, AHMEDABAD - 380 006.

GUJARAT AND HAVING ONE OF ITS BRANCH OFFICE AT Digitally signed 57, PURASAWALKAM HIGH ROAD.

by SANJEEVINI J KARISHETTY PURASAWALKAM, Location: High NORTH CHENNAI 600 007 Court of Karnataka TAMIL NADU.

REPRESENTED BY ITS BRANCH HEAD, MR. T.BALAJI, AGED ABOUT 49 YEARS.

ALSO AT S/O. E. THANGARAJ.

NO.18. 13^TH STREET JAI NAGAR, ARUMBAKKAM CHENNAI 600 106.

TAMIL NADU. .. PETITIONER (BY SRI. UNNIKRISHNAN M., ADVOCATE)

AND:

1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA BY WEST CEN CRIME POLICE STATION WEST DIVISION, BANGALORE DISTRICT.

REPRESENTED BY SPP HON'BLE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA.

BANGALORE 01.

2. MR. SATHYANARAYANA THIMMEGOWDA BANNUR.

S/O. LATE B.K.THIMMEGOWDA.

AGED ABOUT 57 YEARS, RESIDING AT NO.154, G ROAD, IDEAL HOMES, RAJA RAJESHWARINAGAR, BENGALURU 560 098.

KARNATAKA. .. RESPONDENTS (BY SRI.VINAY MAHADEVAIAH, HCGP FOR R1)

THIS CRL.P IS FILED U/S 482 CR.PC (FILED U/S 528 BNSS) PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE ORDER DATED: 04.08.2025 PASSED BY THE HONBLE 47TH ADDITIONAL CHIEF JUDICIAL MAGISTRATE, BANGALORE, IN CRIME NO.200/2025 I.E. ANNEXURE-C IN TERMS OF WHICH, THE PETITIONER IS DIRECTED TO DEFREEZE THE SAVINGS/CURRENT ACCOUNT BEARING NO. 925020005426272 MAINTAINED IN THE PETITIONER'S BANK AND TRANSFER THE SAME TO THE ACCOUNT OF THE RESPONDENT NO.2 I.E. A/C. NO.

914010014614436, AXIS BANK LTD, BANGALORE.

THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR ADMISSION, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA

ORAL ORDER

Heard Sri Unnikrishnan M., learned counsel for the petitioner, Sri. Vinay Mahadevaiah, learned HCGP appearing for respondent No.1 and have perused the material on record. 2. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that in all identical cases coordinate benches have allowed the petitions and remitted the matter back to the office of the learned Magistrate to permit the petitioner to file his objections with liberty to appear and then consider the applications filed by the petitioner.

3. I deem it appropriate to quote the orders so passed in Crl.P.No.1787/2023 dated 14.12.2023:

"ORDER The Petitioner which is a Financial Institution is before this Court challenging the order passed by 1st Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate on an application filed under Sections 451 and 457 of Cr.P.C. by the complainant/respondent No.2 directing the petitioner-Bank to defreeze the amount belonging to the accused and transfer the said amount to the bank account of the complainants/respondent No.2.

2. The petitioner’s concern is that the order passed by the Jurisdictional Magistrate cannot be executed because it surpasses the specified release amount, and numerous courts across the Country have issued directives to the investigating agencies to unfreeze the bank accounts of the accused therein.

3. Learned Special Public Prosecutor on instructions would suggest that the matter may be remanded to the Jurisdictional Courts to consider the application filed under Sections 451 and 457 of Cr.P.C. afresh, by affording an opportunity of hearing to the petitioner.

4. Admittedly, multiple cases are registered against the accused herein within the State and across the country and there are multiple orders passed by the Jurisdictional Magistrates directing the petitioner to unfreeze the account of the accused and transfer the amount to the bank account of the complainants. The passing of multiple orders has caused difficulty to the petitioner/bank in executing the said order, since the amount ordered to be released in some accounts exceeds the amount available in the subject accounts of t